Intellivision Board details

[raspberrypioneer]

I need to try Minty myself, I must try and find the time amongst my other projects to do that.

Definitely worth it - unless you have a Sprint then perhaps less so

[raspberrypioneer]

Been some progress I thought worth reporting. I fitted the Yannick RGB-video mod board, which @grobda sold to me a some months back. The results are really quite stunning, best video quality I’ve ever seen on an Intellivision and I can happily use my first-choice TV too. This should really be the go-to video mod for the Radofin PAL Intellivision in my opinion!

A few pics.

Along with grobda's screenshots, I found Intellivision trace map to be really helpful for identifying / confirming the video and audio inputs for the RGB board.

rgb-mod-input-wiring-all-1.jpg (515.84 KiB) Viewed 73 times

I used the BBC Micro / Electron RGB SCART + audio cable (modified slightly by Cool Novelties to fit the console's new 8-pin DIN socket). The socket comes from AliExpress. It needs a little modification to fit and firm into place.

rgb-8-pin-console-socket.jpg (243.69 KiB) Viewed 73 times

And a sample result photo! I've got a spare composite video mod board if anyone wants one

rgb-video-boulder-dash.jpg (303.1 KiB) Viewed 73 times

[rubber_jonnie]

Nice result it looks like a decent picture for sure.

I have been playing around with RGB2HDMI a lot of late and I see it can be hooked up to the Intellivision, so I may just give it a try:)

[raspberrypioneer]

I have been playing around with RGB2HDMI a lot of late and I see it can be hooked up to the Intellivision, so I may just give it a try:)

Is that the Pi Zero video converter project? Be interesting to see the RGB vs HDMI results you get for comparison. I can see a noticeable difference comparing RGB to s-video, but for these old computers RGB vs HDMI, not sure.

[rubber_jonnie]

I have been playing around with RGB2HDMI a lot of late and I see it can be hooked up to the Intellivision, so I may just give it a try:)

Is that the Pi Zero video converter project? Be interesting to see the RGB vs HDMI results you get for comparison. I can see a noticeable difference comparing RGB to s-video, but for these old computers RGB vs HDMI, not sure.

Well I built 5 RGB2HDMI boards, one went into my Amstrad PPC512 when I upgraded the screen to colour, two have gone (Or will be going) to other forum users so I have 2 left.

However as I have done with my Enterprise 64's, I added a connector that allows me to connect to the RGB2HDMI so I think that is the likely route I'd take with the Intellivision so that I can use it with RGB2HDMI. The main issue is that it doesn't include sound so that would need to be injected separately into the HDMI or fed to a separate set of speakers. Either is easy enough to do and the RGB2HDMI does have an audio feature that can be used now.

However I won't be using an internal RGB2HDMI as in the Amstrad as I'd rather use the much smaller 10 pin connector I used on the Enterprises.

Since I do have an Intellivision Sprint I do doubt the idea of doing this though other than to see how well it works.

[raspberrypioneer]

However as I have done with my Enterprise 64's, I added a connector that allows me to connect to the RGB2HDMI so I think that is the likely route I'd take with the Intellivision so that I can use it with RGB2HDMI. The main issue is that it doesn't include sound so that would need to be injected separately into the HDMI or fed to a separate set of speakers. Either is easy enough to do and the RGB2HDMI does have an audio feature that can be used now.

I had come across RGB2HDMI a while back in passing, it's an impressive project and I see it does allow for audio now. I'd be interested to hear how the video quality compares for you with the older 80's retros in general. I have RGB output for the Electron and Oric-1 in my collection (perhaps count the TI99-4A which is component RGB). They output great quality video, I guess HDMI will improve that but not sure my eyes would spot much difference these days.

Since I do have an Intellivision Sprint I do doubt the idea of doing this though other than to see how well it works.

I get that - bit of a difference between an actual need and curiosity. I'd be interested if you go ahead with it.

[rubber_jonnie]

I had come across RGB2HDMI a while back in passing, it's an impressive project and I see it does allow for audio now. I'd be interested to hear how the video quality compares for you with the older 80's retros in general. I have RGB output for the Electron and Oric-1 in my collection (perhaps count the TI99-4A which is component RGB). They output great quality video, I guess HDMI will improve that but not sure my eyes would spot much difference these days.

TBH for most of my machines I use either Retrotink or OSSC to convert video to HDMI and for my eyes that is good enough. All have superb output and look great viewed that way.

There are some exceptions though, my BBC B, Acorn Electrons and my TI 99/4a.

The BBC hooks up direct to a TFT via SCART and the picture is amazing, no need for HDMI there. Same for the Electrons using the same cable. The TI is hooked up directly to another TFT via component and the picture quality is off the charts good.

One other machine, my Atari 800 has SVideo out and though I do push that through my Retrotink, the quality using it direct is fantastic, very clear.

For me the RGB2HDMI is kind of a bench or unusual machine solution.

For the Enterprises the connectors are odd, and whilst usable, having made a VGA cable I found the image quality was off and that's the sweet spot for me with the RGB2HDMI. The video quality from them is fantastic. I also have an Acorn Atom specific RGB2HDMI board for my Atom Replica and the video quality from that it fabulous too.

However I do sometimes use my workbench as a spot to run old machines, kind of a guest spot and having RGB2HDMI there is helpful.

I get that - bit of a difference between an actual need and curiosity. I'd be interested if you go ahead with it.

I've just ordered the extender board so it's easier to break out the connection cables and I have a sound extender board on the way too.

I will likely mod my Intellivision, but I have a couple of other projects I need to get out of the way first. It should be a very simple wiring job though.

[raspberrypioneer]

TBH for most of my machines I use either Retrotink or OSSC to convert video to HDMI and for my eyes that is good enough. All have superb output and look great viewed that way.

There are some exceptions though, my BBC B, Acorn Electrons and my TI 99/4a.

The BBC hooks up direct to a TFT via SCART and the picture is amazing, no need for HDMI there. Same for the Electrons using the same cable. The TI is hooked up directly to another TFT via component and the picture quality is off the charts good.

One other machine, my Atari 800 has SVideo out and though I do push that through my Retrotink, the quality using it direct is fantastic, very clear.

For me the RGB2HDMI is kind of a bench or unusual machine solution.

For the Enterprises the connectors are odd, and whilst usable, having made a VGA cable I found the image quality was off and that's the sweet spot for me with the RGB2HDMI. The video quality from them is fantastic. I also have an Acorn Atom specific RGB2HDMI board for my Atom Replica and the video quality from that it fabulous too.

However I do sometimes use my workbench as a spot to run old machines, kind of a guest spot and having RGB2HDMI there is helpful.

Interesting about the machines we have in common - RGB is excellent for me, ideally some of the others I've got could do RGB too. I s-video modded the Vic-20 which is hugely improved over composite now. It had pretty awful composite output, easy mod also. Can't complain too much about s-video really. Just the Atari 800xl, Spectrum and ZX81 on composite now, they're actually pretty decent.

I like the guest-spot idea! The in-focus machine of the month so they don't just gather dust!

I will likely mod my Intellivision, but I have a couple of other projects I need to get out of the way first. It should be a very simple wiring job though.

Yes, it's actually quite an easy mod. Would have gone here if I had the time again, although I learned a lot from the comp-mod. My RGB-kit board sat around for longer than expected over the summer but glad that's all done now. Got some more detailed notes for the mod if you need them.

[rubber_jonnie]

Interesting about the machines we have in common - RGB is excellent for me, ideally some of the others I've got could do RGB too. I s-video modded the Vic-20 which is hugely improved over composite now. It had pretty awful composite output, easy mod also. Can't complain too much about s-video really. Just the Atari 800xl, Spectrum and ZX81 on composite now, they're actually pretty decent.

Some of my 8 Bit Atari's have VBXE so use SCART via my OSSC and the image quality is off the charts good, probably one of the best I've seen

That said my Atari 800 uses SVideo via Retrotink and it is almost as good. My Spectrums and ZX81s are also composite and the picture is pretty decent too.

I like the guest-spot idea! The in-focus machine of the month so they don't just gather dust!

Currently its one of my Enterprises because I've been working on it, but I have so many machines it makes sense to have the guest spot available

Yes, it's actually quite an easy mod. Would have gone here if I had the time again, although I learned a lot from the comp-mod. My RGB-kit board sat around for longer than expected over the summer but glad that's all done now. Got some more detailed notes for the mod if you need them.

Yeah, I have some BBC B projects that have been sitting around for a few months, an ATPL Sidewise board and a 1772 FDD controller to go into one of them. One already has this upgrade, one doesn't and my main machine has an SD card solution and the RPi based co-pro solution.